Assignments and tests show up in four places, so you have more than one way to catch what's coming:

• Activity page: new assessments appear here, and anything past due is flagged in the Important section.
• Calendar: any assessment with a due date your instructor set appears on your calendar.
• Course Content page: assessments may sit directly on the page, inside a folder, or inside a learning module — and release conditions can keep one hidden until you've met a requirement.
• Details & Information panel: opens when you select an assessment.

What the Details & Information panel tells you

• The due date, and whether it has already passed.
• How many attempts you're allowed.
• The time limit, if there is one.
• Goals and the grading rubric, if your instructor provided them.

Access codes

Your instructor can require a 6-digit access code to open an assessment. Your instructor or a proctor gives you the code. Once you enter it you can open the assessment and come back to a saved attempt with the same code.

• You don't need the code to view your grade or your instructor's feedback.
• If your instructor changes the code between attempts, you'll need to ask for the new one.

Before you start, read the details, find out whether the assessment is timed, proctored, or graded anonymously, and gather whatever your instructor attached.

View content and attached files

• Media that plays inline: select the title to open it in a new window with play, pause, and volume controls. Video can go full screen.
• Attached files: open the file's menu and select Download Original File for images, Word documents, PDFs, and presentations. The down arrow opens a file right on the course page.
• Inline images: select the ellipsis button to expand or download the image.

View the rubric

If a rubric is attached, you can see it before you open the assessment and while you're working. Select This item is graded with a rubric, then expand each criterion to see the achievement levels your instructor will use.

Anonymous grading

Your instructor can grade anonymously so they don't know whose work they're reading, which helps reduce bias. When you open one of these you'll see a notice: “This assessment will be graded anonymously. Don't include any personal information, such as your name.”

• Keep your name out of your file names as well as out of your text.
• The Grade column reads Not graded until your instructor posts grades — that's true for each attempt if multiple attempts are allowed.
• Nothing on the Grades page marks a submission as anonymous.
• Anonymous grading isn't available for group assignments.

Tips for taking a test

• Start early in the availability window. If something goes wrong you'll have time to sort it out before the deadline.
• Read all the instructions before you begin.
• Use a wired connection if you can. Wireless is less reliable, and check with WSU before relying on cellular data.
• Don't refresh the page, close the browser window, or use the browser's back button while you're taking a test.
• If you hit a problem or don't understand a question, contact your instructor right away rather than after the fact.

Due dates appear on your Activity page (with anything overdue flagged as Important), next to the assessment title on the Course Content page, and in the Details & Information panel when you open an assessment.

Submitting late

If you submit after the deadline, you'll see a late notice in the Details & Information panel, on the assessment page, and in the submission confirmation window. Blackboard may record an automatic zero for overdue work — you can still submit to replace it, though your instructor may apply a penalty.

When your instructor restricts late work

No submissions after the due date

• You'll see a note that you can't submit work after the due date.
• An attempt that's still in progress submits automatically at the deadline, and you get a confirmation email.
• If you start too close to the deadline, you'll be told your time limit has been shortened to fit.
• Registered accommodations are honored as exceptions.

No new attempts after the due date

• You'll see a note that you can't start a new attempt after the due date.
• An attempt you already started can continue, with the time remaining shown at the top of the assessment.

A time limit appears on the Course Content page with the assessment's details, in the Details & Information panel, and inside the assessment while you work.

How the timer works

• Selecting Start attempt brings up a confirmation first — you can cancel if you aren't ready.
• The countdown appears in the upper-left corner of the screen, showing minutes and then seconds in the final minute.
• The clock keeps running whether you're working or not. Saving a draft and leaving does not pause it.
• When time runs out, your work submits automatically.
• If you're allowed more than one attempt, each attempt gets the same time limit.

Time warnings

Total time allowed	Warnings you'll get
Under 10 minutes	No warnings
10 minutes to 1 hour	One warning, at 10% of time remaining
More than 1 hour	Two warnings, at 50% and at 10% remaining
Unlimited-time accommodation	No warnings

WSU uses Honorlock for online proctored exams. Honorlock is automated, not live, proctoring: your session is recorded and monitored by Honorlock's AI, which flags suspicious activity for your instructor to review. You can test on demand, wherever works for you, within the testing window your instructor sets. WSU pays for Honorlock, so there's no cost to you.

Before you start

• Use Google Chrome on a laptop, desktop, or Chromebook running Windows 10 or 11, macOS 10.14 or higher, or ChromeOS. You can't take a Honorlock exam on a phone or tablet.
• Check the minimum system requirements and make sure Chrome is up to date (how to update Google Chrome).
• Install the Honorlock extension in Chrome before test day.
• Allow Chrome to use your camera (browser camera permissions).
• Be ready to complete a room scan if your instructor requires one.

Taking a Honorlock exam

1. Open Chrome and go to the Course Content page to find the exam.
2. Review the Details & Information panel.
3. Start the exam and follow Honorlock's prompts through any pre-exam steps, such as a room scan.
4. Use the Honorlock toolbar during the exam. It includes tools such as the Honorlock calculator and file upload when your instructor allows them.
5. Submit, then follow the end-of-exam procedures.

Learn what can trigger a flag in In-Exam Flags. After the semester you can remove the Honorlock extension.

Start or resume an attempt

1. Select Start attempt to open the assessment.
2. If you aren't ready to submit, select Save and Close — your work is saved and you can come back.
3. When you return, select Continue attempt to pick up where you left off.

If there's no time limit, you can open and start an assessment without having to submit right away. If your instructor turned on Prohibit Late Submissions, an attempt you haven't submitted yourself is submitted automatically at the due date.

How you'll turn in your work

• Drag and drop files into the drop zone.
• Select Upload a file to browse your device.
• Upload from cloud storage such as OneDrive or Google Drive.
• Type or paste a response directly into the editor.
• Add to the class conversation, if your instructor enabled it — select the Open class conversation icon.

Adding files from cloud storage

1. In the content editor, select Insert from Cloud Storage.
2. Choose your cloud provider from the menu.
3. Select one or more files, or open folders to find what you need. ZIP files stay compressed when imported.
4. Preview the files and select Import to attach them. Use the plus sign to import more.

After importing you can add a display name, add alternative text for accessibility, choose whether the file embeds inline or inserts as a link, hide it, or download the original.

Important: Blackboard makes a copy. The file isn't linked to the original, so changes you make in the course don't reach your cloud storage and vice versa. In the Blackboard mobile app, Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox are supported.

Supported file types

Blackboard recognizes these file types by default. If it doesn't recognize a type, your instructor can still download the file and open it on their own computer.

Extension	Type	Opens with
DOC, DOCX	Document	Microsoft Word
PDF	Document	Adobe Acrobat Reader
PPT, PPTX, PPS	Presentation	Microsoft PowerPoint
XLS, XLSX	Spreadsheet	Microsoft Excel
HTML, HTM	Web page	Browser or HTML editor
GIF, JPG, JPEG, JIF, PNG	Image	Browser or graphics program
MP3, WAV, AIFF, AU	Audio	Audio player
MP4, AVI, ASF	Video	Video player
AAM	Multimedia	Macromedia Authorware plug-in
ZIP	Compressed archive	WinZip or built-in extractor

Any character is allowed in a file name, though your operating system and browser may limit what they'll accept. Avoid unusual characters if you can.

Word count in the editor

A word count appears below the editor while you type and disappears once you save.

• Counted: individual words, web links, text in bulleted and numbered lists (not the bullets or numbers), and superscript or subscript text that isn't part of another word.
• Not counted: images, videos, file attachments, math formulas, blank spaces and lines, and alternative text.
• Words joined by punctuation count as one word.

Hotspot questions

A hotspot question asks you to place a pin on a specific spot in an image — common in anatomy, geography, language, ecology, and biology courses.

• Hotspot: you drop a pin without seeing where the correct areas are.
• Multiple choice hotspot: the hotspots are visible and one is correct; the rest are distractors.
• Multiple answer hotspot: the hotspots are visible and one or more are correct.

A purple pin appears when you select the image — move it to the right place. Add more pins with the pin icon in the toolbar or by pressing P. Pins save automatically as you place and move them. To remove one, select it and choose Clear selection or press Delete.

Keyboard controls for hotspots

• Tab / Shift + Tab — move between pins
• P — create a new pin
• Arrow keys — move the selected pin
• Alt (or Option) + arrow keys — move the pin one pixel at a time
• Delete — remove the selected pin

Auto-save and losing your connection

Blackboard saves your work as you go and shows a last-saved notice at the bottom of the screen. Auto-save runs:

• Two seconds after you stop typing
• Every ten seconds while you're writing an essay response
• When you select outside the submission box

If your connection drops you'll see a warning. If it isn't back within about 20 seconds, a second warning tells you your work isn't being saved. When the connection returns, a message confirms auto-save has resumed.

Confirm your submission went through

1. Select the assessment link on the Course Content page.
2. The panel shows the date and time you submitted, and the status — it reads Not graded until your instructor grades it.
3. Use View Submission to see exactly what you turned in.

You can also check your activity stream, your global Grades page, or the course gradebook.

Editing or resubmitting

You can't edit an assignment after you submit it. Whether you can submit again depends on how many attempts your instructor allowed. If resubmission isn't allowed and you made a mistake, contact your instructor to ask for another attempt.

Offline submissions

Your instructor can create an assessment that you complete outside Blackboard — an oral presentation, a science fair project, a performance, or artwork delivered in person. There's nothing to upload.

• Multiple attempts and time limits aren't available for offline submissions.
• You'll see the assessment on the Course Content page and in the gradebook, and your instructor can attach instructions, files, a rubric, and goals.
• Conversations may be enabled so you can ask questions.
• The grade appears with an Offline submission note, and a rubric icon if a rubric was used.

Submitting with JAWS

The assignment name is where you land when the page opens, at heading level 1.

Reach the instructions

• Press H until you reach “Grades / Attempts” at heading level 2, then arrow down to the View Instructions link and press Enter.
• Or press Insert + F7 to open the links list, choose View Instructions, and press Enter.

Reach the submission area

Press H until you reach the Submission heading at level 2, or press Insert + F6 to open the headings list, select Submission, and press Enter.

Type a response

1. From the Submission heading, press Tab to enter Forms Mode.
2. Type your response as plain text.
3. Tab to Save and Close to keep a draft, or Submit to turn it in.
4. Press Enter and confirm.
5. Exit with Insert + Ctrl + B, then Close.

Upload a file

1. From the Submission heading, Tab to Upload a File or Upload from Cloud.
2. Press Enter to open the file dialog, then select and upload your file.
3. Tab to Save and Close or Submit, press Enter, and confirm.
4. Exit with Insert + Ctrl + B, then Close.

Use Shift + Tab or Shift + H to move backward if you go too far. Forms Mode disables menu commands — turn it off to use heading and link navigation again.

On a group assignment, one member submits for the whole group and everyone gets the same grade — though your instructor can give individual members different grades if contributions were uneven.

Finding your group

• If your instructor assigned the groups, the group name appears after the assignment title on the Course Content page, and your members' names appear when you open it.
• If you choose your own group, select Join a group to participate. The Groups page shows what's available along with how many members each group has.
• You can move between groups while enrollment is open and no work has been submitted. You can't join a group that's full or that has already submitted.

Working together

You can open the assignment without submitting — select Save and Close instead of Submit, and your work stays there for your group members.

• Taking turns: when a member is working on the assignment, a pencil icon marks them. Another member can select Take Control to request it; the person in control is notified and can approve or deny. Work saves automatically when control changes hands.
• Talking it through: select the conversation icon to discuss the assignment with your group, if your instructor enabled it. New activity is flagged on the Course Content page.
• Meeting: Class Collaborate is available for virtual group meetings where it's enabled.

Submitting

• Only one member submits, on behalf of everyone.
• The Submit button stays disabled until there's content to submit.
• A confirmation pop-up appears, since you're submitting for the whole group.
• No one can change anything after submission.

To confirm it worked, select the assignment title to see the submission date and time, and use View Submission to review what was turned in.

Grades and feedback

You only see your own grade. The feedback panel opens automatically when you view your grade and has two tabs: Group for feedback to the whole group, and Individual for feedback meant just for you. If you close the panel, the feedback icon reopens it.

On a peer-reviewed assignment you submit your own work and then give written feedback on a set number of classmates' submissions.

Submit your own work first

1. Find the assignment in your course — check the Due Dates view or your Calendar if you're not sure where it is.
2. Select it to see the due date, how many peer reviews you owe, and the peer review deadline. A rubric may be shown.
3. Select View Assessment.
4. Do the work and upload any files or attachments.
5. Select Save and Close if you need to pause.
6. Submit and confirm.
7. Afterward, select View Submission to check your work, or Start peer review once reviews open.

Review your classmates' work

1. Select Start peer reviews when it becomes available.
2. Write your feedback in the area on the left, then select Save to come back to it or Submit to send it.
3. Use the carousel to move to the next review.
4. Your progress is tracked, so you can return to reviews you haven't finished.

Reviews won't be available yet if not enough classmates have submitted or the review period hasn't started. Your classmates' identities stay hidden unless your instructor says otherwise in the assignment.

Read the reviews of your work

Once you've finished all of your assigned reviews, you can see your own submission along with the feedback you received. You can't change your submission at that point. Updates appear in your activity stream — your instructor is notified when reviews come in, and you're notified when they're graded.

Why can't I open my assessment?

First confirm you're using a supported browser and operating system. If that's fine, contact your instructor or the WSU Technology Help Desk.

Why can't I find my assessment?

Your instructor controls availability dates and may have set a prerequisite you haven't met yet — for example, marking a lecture as reviewed before the quiz appears. Ask your instructor.

How do I check that my work was submitted?

Select the assessment link on the Course Content page. The panel shows the submission date and time, and a status of Not graded until it's graded. You can also check your activity stream, your global Grades page, or the course gradebook.

My instructor says they didn't receive my assignment.

Take it up with your instructor directly, and send them the submission date and time from the assessment panel if you have it.

How do I edit or resubmit an assignment?

You can't edit a submitted assignment. Whether you can resubmit depends on how many attempts your instructor allowed. If resubmission isn't available and you made a mistake, ask your instructor for another attempt.

How do I know if my assignment has been graded?

Grading isn't automatic — your instructor grades and posts each one. Once posted, the grade appears in the assignment's row. Select the title to open the submission history for details and feedback.

I lost my work in the middle of a test.

Contact your instructor immediately — only they can grant another attempt. To reduce the risk next time, use a wired connection, don't refresh or use the back button, and draft longer responses outside Blackboard.